


The Annual Junior Woodchucks Camping Trip

by sanctum_c



Series: Clerith Month 2017 [5]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Camping, Cooking, Emperor's New Groove - Freeform, Gen, Squirrels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27515539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: In a time before Kingdom Hearts, somewhere near Hollow Bastion (maybe), the Junior Woodchucks are going on a camping trip.
Series: Clerith Month 2017 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009509
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	The Annual Junior Woodchucks Camping Trip

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'Kingdom Hearts Childhood'.
> 
> You know what's been missing from Kingdom Hearts? The Emperor's New Groove. Wouldn't it be great? A climax as you charge around the palace, bounce off of trampolines, change into any number of animals thanks to potions. Then there would be all the messing around in the hills, the random cut-scenes, Kronk, Yzma and- Anyway.

Summer had finally arrived and with it came the annual Junior Woodchucks camping trip. A week out in the forest with friends - the highlight of Aeris's summer. Possibly even the year. Aeris had been too excited to sleep for close to a week now, succumbing at random points of the day to inevitable exhaustion. Her terrible, irregular sleep patterns almost lead to her oversleeping; she had been frantically shaken awake by Mom with a mere half an hour before the meet-up. Barely enough time to wash, have breakfast, pick up her bag and hurtle across the foothills at a sprint. Thankfully she was not last to arrive; racing up the final stretch, Aeris overtook the conspicuous purple form of Yzma.

Kronk's old 'friend' still seemed determined to slink to events at the last possible second; that was how she was. Aeris caught a snatch of Yzma's muttering when she passed the cat. Something about Kronk, revenge and llamas. Similar to her hisses at every other Junior Woodchuck meeting she ever attended.

"You made it!" Tifa cried when Aeris arrived at the group of campers. Aeris stumbled to a halt, flopped bonelessly to the ground and rolled on her back. Huge, panting breaths to recover from the sprint; Yzma's mutterings growing louder despite the chatter of the other Junior Woodchucks.

"We were worried you wouldn't get here in time," Cloud said. His concerned expression vanished beneath a wide grin.

"Cloud almost went looking for you," Tifa noted smirking at him. "I told him you wouldn't miss this even if the world had ended."

"You got that right." Aeris finally caught her breath and clambered to her feet, shooting them both a smile. Another breath. "But thanks. I almost didn't make it." Yzma had reached the group - or at least the vague orbit of the group and was keeping a careful distance from the children.

"Alright campers," Counselor Kronk boomed. Everyone turned; Kronk jogged up the slope his smile typically beaming. No one exhibited the same level of excitment for the Junior Woodchucks quite like Conselor Kronk. No one. "I hope you're all ready for another exciting trip to the campsite and a summer of fun!" The assembled woodchucks cheered with one exception. Aeris glanced around. Since she was in closest proximity, it was currently her turn remind to Yzma that she needed to engage in the activities - Counselor Kronk insisted. The cat's monotone 'Yeah' in response to Aeris nudging her with her foot was almost inaudible beneath the excited cheers of the other children. "All right!" Kronk said, somehow drawing himself up to new heights. And stopped. A panicked expression appeared on his face.

"My spinach puffs!" Kronk sprinted away from the campers in a blur of speed, heading back towards his house. The assembled campers giggled. Conselor Kronk was forever doing this kind of thing; starting cooking, forgetting he had done so - but at least he usually got to the oven before anything was badly burned. Kronk reappeared a few moments later, wafting at a tub filled with some green food. "I need to start leaving myself a note." He chuckled and stopped beside Yzma. "Hey look Yzma! Spinach puffs! Your favorite!"

Yzma made some curious hacking sounds and glared up at the counselor who took little notice of the cat's reaction. "Never liked your spinach puffs," she muttered. Kronk did not hear that either. He stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a percing whistle to Yzma's wincing discomfort. A squirrel bounded out of the nearby forest and chittered at Kronk.

"Good to see you again old buddy," Kronk said; he crouched down and held his arm out. The squirrel jumped onto him, scurried to his shoulder and stuck its tongue out at Yzma. She replied in kind; the squirrel chittered with amusement and returned to the crook of Kronk's arm. "Alright, now if I remember the rota, I think it is Scout Aeris's turn to ask for permission to enter the forest."

Everyone turned their attention to her. Aeris took a deep breath; she had been practicing the words since summer started. "Squeak squeaky, squeaken squeak- Ah," she paused and frowned. Kronk opened his mouth- And Aeris remembered the rest. "Squeaky squeak-squeakity squeak squeak squeak!"

The squirriel chittered agreeably, nodded its head and retrieved a balloon from somewhere in its fur. The creature filled the balloon with air and formed it into the shape of a llama. "That was perfect Scout Aeris! Big hand everyone for Scout Aeris!" Kronk moved closer and leant down beside her as the campers applauded. Yzma rolled her eyes. The squirrel held out the balloon with a chitter.

"Thank you Mister Squirrel!" Aeris said and took the balloon llama from its claws.

"Okay campers!" Kronk glanced around at them all. "Now we have permission from our woodland friend, we are free to travel to the-" His voice grew quieter, but was likely still audible for miles. "-secret Junior Woodchuck camping ground. Everyone find your buddy and keep a close eye on them," he added, his voice back at full volume. He paused a moment later and turned to Cloud, Aeris and Tifa. "Well, you three in your case." The odd number of campers necessitated that not everyone could be in pairs. A newcomer to the troop might have questions why one of them was not Kronk's buddy. But that suggestion was to miss that Mr. Squirrel was clearly already fulfilling the role. Or, the theoretical newcomer might ask, why not Yzma? A trickier issue. While Kronk repeatedly insisted the cat was harmless, he never let her pair up with another camper. Yzma was on her own - the one minor satisfaction she seemed to revel in.

"Okay, campers; move out!" Kronk ushered everyone past him and towards the forest trail. Aeris glanced back; Kronk had wandered back to Yzma and gently nudged the purple cat with his foot. Yzma slouched forward and at a slightly slower than necessary pace moved after the Junior Woodchucks who were heading for a summer vacation of adventure.


End file.
